Ask the Yoga Expert

May 2012 Article

Spring is seen as a time of growth, renewal and of new life (both plant and animal) being born. The term is also used more generally as a metaphor for the start of better times.  As a season of celebration, Spring has ancient origins, and it can relate to many customs that have survived into modern times. In India for example, Holi, the festival of colors, is celebrated at the end of the winter season, is the most vibrant festival of colours celebrated by Hindus in India. People throw water and apply colour powders on each other. Additionally, in North-eastern states of India, Rongali Bihu is celebrated for seven days from April 13th to 19th. This is a harvesting festival, celebrated by all the sections of the community.

However we choose to celebrate Spring in our own lives, we have the opportunity to renew our inner-self and grow our self and community awareness. To help along your journey of celebrating one self, we can often find calm and purpose as well as energy and invigoration through YOGA. Restorative Yoga, Stretch & Strengthen Yoga and  Power Yoga are three types, among several, available at The Canadian Yoga Institute.

Restorative Yoga

This class is a gentle introduction to yoga, and is suitable for everyone. Increase your flexibility by focusing on deepening the classic postures. You’ll release tight shoulders, hamstrings, back and spine. When the body is warm and well stretched you are then ready for restorative postures. Supported by props that allow you to deeply release physical and mental stress, you’ll enter a sustained period of relaxation.

Power Yoga

A dynamic, flowing sequence of yoga postures, linked together by movement and the power of the breath, along with core exercises, a very energizing style of yoga will appeal to active participants.

Stretch & Strengthen Yoga

A twice weekly class for maximum results. This class is suitable for everyone, regardless of yoga experience. Gain balance and strength as you lengthen and lean your entire body. A stimulating series of flowing postures that will challenge your stamina and strength. *Some yoga experience recommended.

The Canadian Yoga Institute (403.394.9642) is a non-profit charitable organization (charity # 868910811 RR0001).

 

April 2012 Article

Getting Started.

Our new Spring Schedule has been posted, register today!

The most common questions we hear at The Canadian Yoga Institute are about getting started.  So here are some basic Q and A.

Q: What do I bring?

A: It is important to bring a yoga mat (if you don’t have one, we can provide a temporary loaner, but for hygiene reasons you are best to have your own mat), a water bottle (water is a available for refills) and a blanket (cotton throw or Mexican blanket).

Q: What do I wear?

A: Comfortable stretch clothing preferably, not too loose or bulky. You can dress in layers so that if you get warm you can layer off. Do not wear nylon pants or non breathable fabric, as they slip and will cause you to overheat.

Q: Where do I get my stuff?

A: Premium supplies and clothing are available at Good Karma-The Boutique at CYI located inside.

Q: Are there rules?

A: Yes. Out of respect for the practice of yoga and for others, there is yoga etiquette.

Q: Are guys allowed?

A: Absolutely! While there is a significantly larger amount of female students than male, The Canadian Yoga Institute strives to make yoga available for everyone!

Q: How do I register?

A: Since you do need to pay for the class before you are officially registered, all you need to do is contact us at 403.394.9642 or come in from noon-five Monday through Saturday.  We will help you find the class that is right for you, and get you signed up.

Namaste and see you on the Mat,

Lyndsey

 

 

February 2012 Article

In the West, the term “yoga” is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. Among the teachers of Hatha yoga who were active in the west in this period were B.K.S. Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois. A second “yoga boom” followed in the 1980s, as Dean Ornish, connected yoga to heart health, legitimizing yoga as a purely physical system of health exercises.

The three main focuses of Hatha yoga (exercise, breathing, and meditation) make it beneficial to those suffering from chronic illness, including, but not limited to; headaches, body pain, heart disease and cancer. Therapeutic Yoga and Calm Steady Strong, are two types, among several, available at the Canadian Yoga Institute.

Therapeutic Yoga

(Designed for students with chronic illness, injuries or a low level of fitness)

Learn to use breath & various passive yoga postures to relieve or manage pain, correct posture, release stress & tension,  increase lung capacity and flexibility from head to toe. This class uses a host of props to support the body, relaxing connective tissue & reducing soft tissue inflammation.

Calm Steady Strong^TM

This class consists of the 7 week yoga thrive series that gently yet progressively builds mobility, flexibility, stability, strength, stamina, endurance while at the same time developing ease, relaxation, calmness and the feeling stronger and experience less fatigue. Participants report feeling stronger, experience less fatigue and having better moods and a better quality of life.

 

 

January 2012 Article

Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga

As The Canadian Yoga Institute celebrates it’s 10th Anniversary, it allows us to revisit the roots of where our charity started…with two of the main practices of yoga, Hatha and Ashtanga.  Traditional hatha yoga is a holistic yogic path, including disciplines, physical postures (asana), poses (mudra), breathing (pranayama), and meditation. Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via physical postures or “asanas”, controlled breathing, and the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. Asanas teach poise, balance and strength and are practiced to improve the body’s physical health and clear the mind.

Ashtanga Yoga is different from many yoga classes in that the order of poses is completely predefined. A practice will comprise four main parts: an “opening sequence,” one of the six main “series”, a back-bending sequence, and a set of inverted postures, referred to as the “finishing sequence.”. The opening sequence begins with Sun Salutations and then several standing postures. Next, the practitioner will do one of the six main series, referred to as the Primary series, Intermediate series or Advanced A, B, C, or D series level. The Primary Series is the most important series as it forms the basis of the entire system. Practitioners may advance to more difficult series over a period of years or decades, but the goal of this style is not to learn the more difficult poses but rather to learn to maintain internal focus throughout the practice.

The Canadian Yoga Institute has grown as an organization over the past ten years, offering semester style Hatha classes (Yoga Basics and Ongoing Yoga), Ashtanga classes (Introductory to Ashtanga and Intermediate Ashtanga).  We have also been praised for integrating other forms of yoga, including but not limited to; Power Yoga, Stretch & Strengthen Yoga, Yin Yoga, Flow Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Prenatal Yoga and CalmSteadyStrong (people who have been touched by cancer).

For additional information on classes, please visit our website at yogacanada.org or call 403.394.YOGA.

The Canadian Yoga Institute is a non-profit charitable organization (charity # 868910811 RR0001).

 

October 2011 Article

As I am sure you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and you may be either reading this section because you are newly diagnosed, or you have graduated from your treatment centre, or your loved one is having or has had a cancer experience. You may be looking for the next step, the what next?, the what can I do to help myself?, what support can I give?

One answer is YOGA. This therapeutic yoga program has been shown to assist people in handling the effects of chemotherapy and radiation, as well as to help make physical, emotional and mental gains following treatment.

CalmSteadyStrong ™ arose out of a need to support people healing from cancer – whether in or out of treatment.

CalmSteadyStrong ™ is a yoga class for people AND their loved ones who have experienced cancer, not just breast cancer. This class consists of the yogaTHRIVE series that gently yet progressively builds mobility, flexibility, stability, strength, stamina, endurance while at the same time developing ease, relaxation, calmness and the feeling stronger and experience less fatigue. Participants report feeling stronger, experience less fatigue and having better moods and a better quality of life.

CalmSteadyStrong™ is offered on Thursdays from 5pm-6:30pm and is made available through The Canadian Yoga Institute at 1238B 3rd Avenue South.

The Canadian Yoga Institute concentrates in providing fully and specialty certified yoga instructors while offering semester style yoga classes.

Our repertoire of classes include Stretch & Strengthen, Prenatal, Therapeutic, Gentle/Restorative, Flow Yoga, Yin Yoga as well as introductory and intermediate levels of Ashtanga, Hatha and Power Yoga.

The Canadian Yoga Institute began in 2001 and is a non-profit charitable organization (charity # 868910811 RR0001).